Skips provides a real estate
inspection service that is now
recommended by the State of Connecticut.
When buying a home that is serviced
by a subsurface sewage disposal system most buyers want two important questions
answered:
1. How long will existing system continue to function?
2. How much will it cost to have it replaced?
Although these are very important questions, they cannot be answered without a
lot of investigation and soil testing.
Therefore the inspection process which we have developed is designed to
integrate all available information above ground and below ground to enable
the prospective buyer to make an educated decision regarding the septic system.
This process begins with
a call to the local health
department for any available
septic information on that
particular property (location,
size and type of system
installed, test hole, perc test results,
etc.) The information is then
faxed or mailed to our office.
Skips tries to schedule
inspections at the buyers
convenience. However, when
multiple inspections are
scheduled for a particular day
it is very difficult to set a
rigid time.
Each inspection is
somewhat unique so the procedure
is not necessarily the same or
limited to the following
outline:
The steps taken on-site are typically as follows:
-
Interview owner and/or perform
walk-thru inspection of interior plumbing and drainage
-
Access the tank
-
Measure air space to liquid
-
If baffles are intact water may be
run to monitor flow
-
Tank is pumped out
-
Inspect the internal components
and check for structural damage
-
Locate and access distribution box
or appropriate component of absorption system (leach fields)
-
Check current liquid level
-
Check for indications of previous
surcharging
-
Probe stone for effluent ponding
-
Visually inspect field area for
any evidence of surface discharge, grading problems, ledge outcroppings,
wetlands etc...
(indications of existing
problems or possible
restrictions for future
repairs)
-
Measure and document depth
of components below grade
and location, typically from
house corners or to other
fixed point for future
access
-
Complete
5 page report with all pertinent
information
-
Review report and system layout
with buyer/agent
-
The charges on the invoice
will be clearly broken down
between buyer and seller
-
As long as the invoice is
paid in full, we will
provide the buyer and agent with the
report the following
day along with important septic system user information
Balance is due upon completion of
inspection. Arrangements to pay with credit card should be made with the office
prior to the inspection. Skips also accepts cash and personal checks.
If, for some reason payment is not
secured, the report will not be released.
If there are any questions regarding the report, Skips encourages customers to
call the office between
7:30-4:30, Monday through
Friday.
Most local health departments are also available to help with gathering
information and answering questions.
A reminder notice will be sent to
the inspection address at the recommended interval initially established by the
inspecting technician. The recommended time between pumpouts is based on the
condition of the system at the time of the inspection, the size of the septic
tank and the anticipated accumulation of solids. Future intervals will be
recommended based on actual solid accumulation and will be noted on the report
given at each pumping.
Typically a two-year recall is
recommended.
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